‘Mk, IKE, No. 73 OTU, Fed, Eeyet, MEF. 1944-45, Seva probably £5278, stack | overall. White tim.Nice flying shot of Mk, to's ot Ne- 50% feat RaSGS. Bony Host! CHESTS: AW County of Gloucertor Squadron, Airratt ‘A’ has 9 difforont size under wing. roundel SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE MKI- XVI Phe basic design of the Spitfire was finalised by R. J. Mitchell in 1934, While the aircraft has often been com- pared with other famous types of World War If, it must te remembered that its true contemporaries were the Hurricane, P-36, and Messerschmitt BI109, and that the Fwi90, Mustang, and others, were designed three to six years late. “The success of the Spitfire was due 10 several factors. When used in its intended role as a defensive fighter, its performance was always equal to, and often superior to that of its opponents. Notable examples were the Bat ‘of Britain, the defence of Malta, and the defeat of the Fepanese ever Northern Australia and the India/Burma border, ‘The aircraft was also a delight to fly, and its adaptability was quite remarkable. Therefore it remained fs the sapreme Allied single-seat fighter and. photo- reconnaissance aircraft until 1944. Even later, it could utemanoeuvte many jet fighters and had ‘a higher Timiting Mach number ia the dive than most until the E86 Coupled with the early-warning ground radar, which allowed the Spitfire to be used to its best advantage, nd with the excellent Rolls-Royce Merlin and Griffon ‘engines, it was a. war-winner. ‘On the other band, it must be recognised hat, with the exception of the photo-reconnaissance _versions— shich did not have to undergo the stresses of combar— it proved rathér dificult to load che lightly-built_air- frame with the extea fuel and bombs required from 1951 onvards. This occasionally hampered its offensive deployment and gave some headaches 10 the operations planners, especially before the D-day invasion, Th this publication we shall cover the operational history of the Merlin-engined Spires. versions hich used the Grifon engine will be dat a ater issue. ‘The prototype, K5054, first flew in March 1936, the first production Mk. I, K9787, appearing in June 1938. ‘The aircraft remained in production until August 1945, en the last, a Mk, XVI, SL745, was built ‘Nearly wo bundred squadrons of the RAF. used the aircraft between August 1938 and September 1951, peak strength being reached in June 194° when 25% of the RAF. on all war fronts was equipped with Merli Spitfires. In addition, over eighty other units, schools, e uused this variant, together with some wwenty foreign and Commonwealth Air Forces. ‘THE EARLY DAYS — 1938 TO JUNE 1940 Up to May 1940 this period was marked by the slow, bout steady, inerease in the number of operational Spitfire squadrons. After the outbreak of war in September 1939 and, while the Hurricanes went to France, the Spitfires of 72, 602, and 603 squadrons engaged in a few short, Sharp battles with Luftwaffe bombers over the north-east coastline of Britain between October and December 1939, During this time the Spitfires’ qualities in fight to-fighter combat were an unknown quantity and, in some official circles, it was felt that manoeuvrability, exempli- fied by the Hurricane and P-36, was the key factor in combs However, Sidney Cotton, engaged in clandestine reconnaissance work for the Air Ministry, recognised the aircraft's potentialities for _photo-reconnaissance together with his pilots, Longbottom and Niven, formulated the concept of a modified fighter carrying cameras instead of guns and thus set a pattern which hhas lasted to the present day. ‘The initial conversions were designated Spitfire A, B, and C (extra fucl tanks being added to the type B’ onwards), and the first successful sortie over Germany-was on November 20th, 1939. ‘Operated by the Special Survey Flight (later 212 squadron), the Spitfires were scattered around various French airfields, and a. surprisingly large number were used until evacuated in June 1940. Aircraft. includedN3071, 3116, P9313, 9331, 9385, and 9453 ‘Aca. result of the German attack on. France, the ‘Dunkirk evacuation began on May 26th, 1940. For some of the Spithre squadcons. this was their first real test. ‘The tunits involved were: 19, 54, 64, 65, 66, 74, 92, and 610 Squadrons, They emerged somewhat battered and weary, bur scored considerable successes against both the-Luft ‘waffe bombers and fighters, ‘Ako noteworthy, during the retreat in France, were the fest teal. fighter” tactical-reconmaissance ‘sorties carried out by some. 212 squadron Spithres carrying guns as well as cameras. JULY 1940 TO DECEMBER 1941 After the fall of France came the Barle of Britain and the final realisation that speed was more important faa manoeuvrability. “Thus, the tactics of using the Spitires, against the BEOGE developed, while the Flurricanes were encouraged to attack the’ bombers ‘All the nineteen Spitfire squadrons were engaged at one time or another between August 12th and October hth. In this period Eric Lock of 41 squadron emerged as the top-scoring pilot, with twenty-one victories, including twelve BE109's—a remarkable effort. Tn August, the Spitfire TB's (two 20 mm. cannon) of 19 squadron were tested in. combat, being somewhat Aisappointing, and 222 squadron re-cquipped with the Me. of No. 19 Squadron base, at Duxford, Cambridie- Me. Vinctatat ulat tebe equipped with the Spitfire, Note "iSiohtS finot tteand ‘urceatt and “ode ang even” camou~ 5 aThcns hed 13 tor A: Hight, seh 19 for" B fighh Maskikas oF fate 1938 erly 1939 panied. ICHI9 WW first of the new Spitfire TIA's (Merlin XII engine). As the daylight battles subsided, production of the Ms. TT began to increase and, with’ cannon stoppage problems Solved, the now Mk. VB centered service with 92 squadron in December, 1941 saw the RAF. go on co the offensive over France and the Low Couniries, Backed up by the pilot output Of the Operational Training Units (O-T.U’s), equipped with the Spitfire TA and later, Mk. IL’, 2 large increase jn Spitire fighter squadrons was accomplished by the end of the year, from nineteen to sixty. Together with the bomber-eseor, ground attack sorties, and the fighter Sweeps", the wastage and loss rate was very hi especially ‘after, September when the Fw190 was countered in increasing numbers. For, example, 317 Squadron, having an cstablishment of eighteen aircraft got through sixty-four Mk. VB’s in the ten-month period November 194110 August 1942. “Meanwhile, che photo-reconnaiscance Spitfires were kept. busy, and over one hundred and twenty were mevified from fighter airframes until, in late 1941, the Spite D entered production as the Mk. TV (later PR. TV). Tn September, 140 squadron formed in England with the Spitfire G (PR. VID, and by December. 69 squadron In Malta were operating one or two PR. IV's. ‘THE TURNING POINT — 1942 ‘That year saw the tide of battle begin to mum in favour of the Allies, and a contributing factor was the increased adapiability of the Spitire. The high-altitude Spivfire VI entered se with 616 squadron, but it was never to be really su Tul, a5 the ‘weiahnt of its cockpit-pressurisation equipment duced its. effective ceiling, However, the Mk. VIL reame this problem with the new supercharged Merlin 60/70 seties engine, and a few went into service inthe autumn, ‘This version was followed by the Mk VIL Gssentiaily a Mi VIT without pressurisation) which first flew towards the end of the year, Incorporat ing many refinements, it had the best handling charac teniaics of all the Spitiies and also the highest speed, at alutude, of all the Merlin-engined fighter variants, Nester fermation Bye, oest Ina Seuadeon. THOTE hanHowever, early in the year it was obvious that the threat of the Fw190 could not wait for the Spittire VIII ‘Therefore, the Mk, IX was hurriedly introduced as. “stop-gap, using the Mk. VC airframe with, initially, the Merlin 61 and 63 engine. Going into service with 64 squadron in July it averted the crisis in Fighter Com- mand, but its introduction was rather slow until larger smumbers became available in 1943. Meanwhile, yet another crisis had developed, this time in Malia and the North African desert. Pleas for. more modern aircraft were finally answered and, starting in March, Spitfire V's were flown into Malta from. the carrier HM. Eagle. Further deliveries followed, both to Mala and Africa, so that by August, 126, 183, 229, 249, and 1435. squadrons were using Spitfires in Malta In Egypt, 92, 145, and 601 squadrons were providing high-altitude cover for the 8th Army and the Desert Air Fore: ‘Also, in that month the Special Performance Flight at Aboukir shot down their first Ju86P at over 40,000 feet, using one of the specially modified Mk. VC's. This was the task for which the Mk. VI had been created, but when the first examples (BS133 and 134) arrived in October “hey were 100 late and disappointing in per- ‘At home, the operations over “Fortress Europe” continued and, in the Dieppe raid in August, the first USAAF. Spitfire units took part; by the end of the following month the 4th, 31st, and 32nd Fighter Groups Were operational with the MK. VB. Since the Jacter was available in large numbers, the last Mk. IP's were phased out of the fighter squadrons. by June and, at the tum of the year, the original four Air Sea Rescue squadrons (275-278) were replacing their Defiants with specially modified Mk, IC's, Finally, in November the Axis line broke at BE] Alamein in Egypt. Four days later, on the Sth, the Allies landed in North-West Africa, part of the air cover supplied by nine Spitfire squadrons. of the RAF. (72, 81, 93, 11D 152, 154, 232, 242, and 243), and six squadrons of the Bist and’ 52nd F.C. 1943 TO 1945 In 1943 the Spitfire came to be used on all the war fronts. In Australia, 54, 452, and 457 squadrons defended the Darwin atea with their Mk, VC's, between February and June. In India, No. 3 P.R.U, (later 681 squadron) had already received their first Spitfire PR. IV, and continued 10 operate the type until April 1944—their last aircraft being A786, Spitfire VC's arrived in September 1943 to replace the Hurricanes of 136 and 613 squadrons, and 607 squadron arrived from England, ‘These three units quickly began to break up the Japanese air attacks and reconnaissance sorties intended aS the prelude 10 their attempted invasion of India ‘The first Spitfire PR. XI's for 681 squadron were flown out from England in October and, in November, the first of many Mk. VIIT’s arrived. They were quickly taken over by 155 ‘squadron to replace their ageing: Mohawks. At the same time, 81, and 152 squadrons, ‘which had just arrived from Italy, took over some of the new Mk. VII's. By June 1944, the Japanese were retreating into Burma and their Air Foice was never to recover, ‘The Spitfire VIII had the longest range of any of the fighter “variants with an ext thiny-mine gallons of internal fosl—it was certainie. aceded in the Pace As more aircraft arrived, the Australian squadrons, were Feequipped and, in December 1945, 79 (RAAF), 452, and 457 squadrons went on the offensive over the East indice andl the Philippines, ‘Meanwhile, in the Mediterranean, $1 _squadzon obtained the first much needed, Spire TX's at the end of January. 1943" andthe first’ Spitize V's modified as fighter-bombers went into action vith 152 squadron in April, With. the German defeat in. Nouh “Atricn, the ‘les landed on Sicily io July" and the Mk. VIII began to arrive to supplement the increasing numbers of Spite fire TK's, Among the first units to receive the Mk. VIII Were 81,'92, I11y and the 308th squadron of the 3lst F-G. “The. invasion’ of Taly followed, some units. initially using’ combination of Mk. VC, VII, and IX. (Many of the Ville had extended wingtips’ which has. since Gatsed some confision with the Mic VIL. Very few, if any, of the later saw service in the Mediterranean) nthe spring of 1944 seven “Spitire: squadrons were withdrawn from Tily to the Unied Kingdom for the Beday landings in Normand For operations in 1943, preparatory 1o the invasion, the Spitire LF. VB had supplemented the Mi TX, But by Deday ‘nearly all the firtline Spitice squadrons had the MK. TX.” Many. were fighter-bomber versions, careying one $00 ly and two 250 Ib, bombs. During the teas easier in’ 1948)"403,squadson ‘had experimented wrth, a1000 Ib, bomb under the centre-section of one Aircraft, but the iden ‘was abandoned after it ripped open the bottom of the fuselage! Introduction of the Mk. IXE (0" guns) and the insulation ‘of gyfo_gunsights increased the effectiveness of the aireraft in 1944. As the Spitice LE. XVI" began to appear on the. production lines in September, most Mic B's tha followed went ro foreign Ate Forces ‘pore ticularly to Russiaover one thousand. being shipped th the shore period remaining up to the end of the. war Finally, hile je must be recorded that the Atle 1X and XVI were the most common Merlin-Spitires at this dime, the PR NT saw extensive service in Both the tcti- al and strategic Tole, and. three squadrons (124, 131, fd 616) used the Mc VI for high-altitude defence scort duties. from 1943 until just after Deday, Other Squadrons." rotating” on rest at Skeabrae in the Orkneys flew a small number of the Mk, VII's based there for the defence of Scapa Flow. ‘THE POSTWAR YEARS As the War ended the Spitfire IX was phased out of RAR. ‘service and became. availble for’ tie many foreign ar forces requiring new equipment, While the Belgun Air Force operated Mk. XVI for a short while they weve traded for Mig. TX’s in 1947. So apart from 8 Shore period in. North-West ‘Europe, the. Spitire XVI never saw service abroad, but soldered on for a: namber oF years in the Am@Asrcrat Cooperation vinits ann the’ Royal Auxiliary Air Force. When the later wat feealled to active service in 1981, 612 squadron was Sl operating the type Pin foreign service the Mk, IX only saw action with the Frenchy Israelis and Egyptian Air Forces. The Frenchused them for ground attack in Indo-China between 1046 and. 1950, operated by GC. 1/7 and U7. The Israeli and Egyptian aircraft were &x-R.A.F. and S.AAF. handed over {0 the Egyptians and resurrected from the AERp dumps by the Istatlis, ‘The two forces fought each She-cand the ‘RAF—during 1948 and 1949, 105 Shusdron of the Chel Ha‘avir using both Spitfires and Avia $-199's. ‘in England, No. 3/4 Civilian Anti-Aireraft Co- operation Unit at Exeter used a number of LF. 16's until TBS6, while in the Irish Air Force, a few M&. 9 Trainers were flown up to 1961 + ‘The Spitfire LE, XVI was simply 2 Mk. IXE, bur wi the WS. Packsrd-built Merlin 266. Considerable con fusion has since arisen between the IX and XVI, and the desimations The following. i offeed as some clarification LE, FHF. IX Built by Supermarine at Castle Brom- wich. Except for one or two odd air; craft with “B’ wings, all had ‘C? ‘wings, earlier type canopies and rud~ Gers, and unsl June 1943 (MH 312 onwards), no tropicalisation. LE, F, HF. IXE All built at Castle Bromwich (NH series onwards), replacing the TX from April 1948, All with *“E* wings. After September 1944 (RK 883 on- wards), had broad-chord pointed rud- ders, Those with serials between TD 175-TE 343, produced after Febru- ary 1945, had canopies. Very few F. IXE built ‘All with ‘E? wings—official designa- tion omits the sufi letter. All had road-chord pointed rudder. Aircraft in the RR, SM. TB, serial batches had earlier type canopies. After February 1945, had “ 1863 Moteoretonies! ure 1850 Heavy Conversion BL 1880 Heavy Conversion wv 1603 Heavy Conversion oor {985 Heavy Transport Conversion RY 185 Heavy Conversion Nu 1887 Bomber Defence Training « 1658 Bomber Defence Training oH 3602 Bomber Support Training a 1685 Bomber Delencd Training ax Spitfire Operational Training Units (OTU's) 1940-1047 5 8 a 3 8 30 a 33 et 63 " a 181 Fighter. Renumbered 85 OT, with Hurricanes and Typhoons only Fiohier. Renumbered 87 OTU, Photos‘econnalssance ‘Army Co-operation Flahter BE Partial oquipment 4 Partial equipment cr eK Ns og Ty 06, FE GF 0D Partial equipment. Fighter az LV Pwo. Fichtcr * Fighter DEHXKRTOUU Partial ater aa Fiohtor Army Co-operation (Egypt) Fightor yet) Fihtor Free French) Fighter Gndia) Other OTU'S using Merinconained Spitfires. Tho code letters ‘iven ere those used on the Spies ori: © Coastat re 42 Army Co-operation Nit 10 Bombe oy 54 NigntFighter Br st 17 Bomber AY Ue 1% Aimy Co-operation Nit 2 Bomber iw, 73 Bomber Ni 2 Bomber UH &1 Bomber 3B 2 Bomber ON ‘Advanced Flying Units: No.8(P) EA? FBE Not) No.21(P) FDA Advanced Flying Schoo! ‘Communications Flights: ‘No. 208 (ater became part of 226 OCU) toed UU) No.2 Group No. 11 Group No, 12 Group, SE. Sector, Fight Sait Coleoe ve Command Establishmonts: Airerait and Armament Experimontal Nil Contral Bomber DF Cenizal Fighter Acco dw Ux Royal Alrcratt Ni Overational Conversion Unit: No, 226 ex-6t OTU & 203 AFS) HX KR UU Photo-Reconnaissanee Flights: Heston (ater No. 2 Camoutiage Unit) Nit Special Survey (later 212 sadn) Nil Schools: ‘Armament Practice OK WH at ‘Army Co-operation ? Bomber Command Instructors IP Gentral Fiving FDy Fow Gontral Gunnery BERFUT FV FAW Control and Reporting aL Empire Air Aemament Fea rec Empire Air Navigation For Empire Flying Few No.1 Fin Training For Foe Ne. 2 Initial Training Toc! No. 17 Reserve Fying Rey ‘Test Pilots ater E1.P.S) NIT Unie ‘Ar Fighting Development (later C.F.) AF GOHP ‘Air-Sea Wertare Development ’o No. t Comoutlage Ni No.2 Camoutiage (ister P.D.U1) ul Coastal Command Fiahter AMiation Training ey Gunnery Research Nile Photographic Development Unit (later Not PRU) ire No.1 Photographie Reconnaissance (later Saie5t4 sqdns) w No. 2 Photographic Reconnaissance (later 630 sqan Nir No. Photographic Reconnaissance (later 62 saan} ni No, 4 Photographie Reconnaissance (later 652-683 saa wi No. 20 taintenanee Unit x No. 2 Tactical Eersise PO xezz Commonwealth Squadrons All listed here were fighter ception of No. aOSAAT, SQDN. BASE YEAR CODE VERSIONS Indian Ale Force: a a ore 3B oor © 7 8 Royal Australian Air Force: Te AUS” aos Also No.2 O.T.U, South African Air Force: TOME WS AX seoe 2 ME as DB fee) 3 ME 4S ca OS 4 ME G45 RS Sco 5 ME & GL SS 7 ME S45 No? 9 4 ME 48 WR BoscoCAMOUFLAGE U.K. and N.W. Europe, Fighter aireraft. Upper surfaces 1150 fo Ost Bark geen and dark earth. Miro patterns to Scheme ‘A’ and 8 usod unt early 194, but oid not always follow Correct alternating seqvenes with even and edd serial numbered sleral 2, Bf to 446, Bark reen and cark aon gro 5: 4/48 onwarde. Otaly suthoriod ae sor, but usually airerafl wore not r-asinted until they recvived a major overhaul, 89 Green'grey was quite common ens 13s vnder suraze £686 to 4759, Stor 2: Li to 40, Port side—biack. Starboard sides, Variations rather numerous inital, th falls and fs the origina aver: 3. 4/0 10.74, Sky ble liaht ble) 4.940 to fa: Sky (duck-ouy gro. Excoption12/40 to 4/4, port wing back, with yollow surround to rounds 5: Bit to 4/40. Mesum son ary Gight grey). 6. 8M6 onwards. Siler, but ae upper suriaces G) sbove fiain Exception: Some Fk, Vil of 124 and S31 aquadrane in 42-C4 having Moslterranenn light blue (ight b1ue-grey) overall with red/blveroundels on fuselage and upper sutaces only. Adele Eest and Mecitrranenn. With the exception of Mk. V alrcratt passing through Eqypt during 1962 and enly 199, most (but not sl) Spires wero ain their factory caloure, so the particular version elias 9 good clus ae to camoufage- Mork V. Some ints deliveries to Malta early in 1082 In tomperategreon/gry. Remainder, and hose to Egypt, repainted dark oath and middle stone (iaht sand brown) on upper suracesseaure(nsclam Biue/mauve) or siy blue under. Azure ssamato nave been ‘mora common upto 109, and fow ert had Mediferanean dark bv. Howove, ftom 742 onwards, all Mk V's leaving Castle Bromiich about €P300) were painted inthe desert schome with sy bide indore Mork: Aileslveredin gre grey, but some locally repainted nthe dosert scheme wth shy blue (e.9.292 san, Mork Vil Allen airrat uo to-and Including te MD sural, delivered nthe Gosert acheme. Later deliveries varied, some being inoreen(greytemporete-vpe FarEastand Australia, ‘Alle Yang Vill delivered in desert schemes wore re-nanted go that dark green replaced the mide stone, leaving the datk ‘arthand siybive.Delweresin green gre) tenperste-ype were untouched. Photo-Reconnalssance Aircraft. Prior tothe production mod Inonded fon iat often lat ia PR Spitfires were modifications of fghter versions. With the exception of those sand probably all the RP muddy dark biue-prey with & Tmoditorranean ightbive, bu this was the exception, nt therule. MARKINGS: ‘Serals.On squadron airrat, deleted from wings and fuselage 4/83, transfered to fin, Replaced on fuselage, early 1940, Fn/usslage ‘combination used by somealreraltin 1842-43 period. Under-wing sevlals replaced 4/4, Rovndels and fin fat. 1/8 o 4/30, Red-white-blue (RWE) all surfaces, #9 to 12199. Fuselage and upper wings only Sservicoin 1946, oxcoptintho Far East, RWB. 4 4/40 onwards. Under surtacos—RWB, excopt PRalrertt 7, Fuselage-RWY. Fin flashintroducod. 6, 12/4010 7/42, Fin lash ee standardised st! by’ ‘i to 9/47 Reduced thickness of yellow and wits in fuselagelunder-wing roundels and fin ash, the latter being standardised low(¥) surround en usclage and upporsuriaces. ‘Note—followed by neerly all Merlincengined PR alrcraft unl they went outot 5. Australia and Now Guinea. Allsurfaces—_WB roundel and flash 18 light lue dark blue roundel. Some RWB on under surfaces from 1944 Far Egat. Alverail af 2nd. T-A.-in Europe requlrad yellow or white surround. 11.3187 enwarés. Orlinal pre-war style RB roundel on all surfaces introduced, Took same tme to effect, even on production alreraft,and was not realy universal unt fate 160. UK. Goneraly black untit9/40, then shy. Some mult-colours, bu this was net common. ‘2nd. T-A.F. Mostly sky, some other colours untl 145 when black was standardised. Midela East, Black ar same colour as under surfaces. Other colours wore quite eommon, and red was mandatory for invasion of Southern France—8/44 For East. Mest aera on doivery had black, but many were changed to white In service. n Inlay Burma in early 1944, the follow Tag sduadrons had incividual colours: 81 (FL) red; 195 (HM) greon; 182 (UM) brown; 607 (AF) dark blue: 615 (KW) light blue introduced 12/40 forall U.K alteratt. Very rarely seen on arcraft in Mocitrranean except for most Mk, i's delivoredin tomporato colours. Not usedin Far East, and deleted from 2nd. -A.F.aterat irom 145. ‘Conerallyromained for as long as the camouflage lasted. Sind wae very rare in the Far East. In Australia, many ait ‘hadalewhite tall units. However, Doth of these schemes had apparantly died cutby about August 194, Tevasion bends in Europe need no elaboration here, except to state that the biack and white markings wore reduced to under surlaees om mid-August i944, ana had almost dissppoared by the end of tne year From 7/2 Alr-Sea Rescue Spitfires carried a black band on the under-side of the fuselage. Code letters. Allocation of codes i given inthe unit lists fllowing this section. The colours used varied considorably, from 4/30 40 ght grey wae the m: sy ane mosiun sea From 1919 onwards the [atts C and I appeared in unit code lo wore coniined to certain traning units, but during 1043, squadrons hung Mk. V and Aik. VII or IX tn the Meulterranean, used ‘hamras forthe VilliX aerate, Latter size varied, height usually belng 20 or 24 inches, but during the Battle of Britain 90 inches was quite common, and in ‘the Burma aren, 18inchos was usu In 1946 the three-letter codes anpeatad for Fiying Training, Reserve, and Technica! Training Commands. All of the Auslliary AirFoico squadrons usod the approarate R’ cades, but 601, G0, and €D4 squadrons used twovetter codes on their Mk. XVI {op to-1947=48 alongside other alrerat on the units having the "codes from ‘947. All Spies In use with the RAUEA.F In Barly 1950 switched fo tworteler codes after being transferred to Fighter Command, atoin 1988. Gae-dotactor Panels, 189 o 1941, Yellow diamonds on the lop surlagos of the wings and rear fuse Prosentation names, Supermarine“ sircraft—tarboard fuselago, i seripl. Castle Bromaeh porta Io block tors Published by OSPREY PUBLISHING LTD,,P.0. BOX 25, Oxford Resd, Rooding, Bors, EnglandAIRCAM AVIATION SERIES Each publication illustrates one type or major sub-types of a famous aircraft in the colour schemes and markings of the Air Forces of the World. Each issue will contain eight pages of colour side view illustrations, sup- porting black and wl Bed twenty-five half-tone, photographs, each issue will also contain one full colour plate illus Ww drawings showing where necessary both upper and under surfaces, one hundred 1g twenty plan Gxamples of Unit Insignia of the World’s ‘Air Forces, No. 1 NORTH AMERICAN P-51D MUSTANG IN USAAF-USAF SERVICE. No, 2 REPUBLIC No, No. 4 SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE Mk, 1-XVI, MERLIN ENGINE, In RAF: RAAF; SAF; RCAF: USAAF: 47 THUNDERBOLT. In USAAF-USAF; RAF; Free French; French Ai and other Air Forces. Force; Mexican, Brazilian 3. NORTH AMERICAN MUSTANG Mk. I-IV. In RAF; RAAF: SAF; RNZAF; RCAF sorvice and the NORTH AMERICAN P-51B and D MUSTANG in French; Italian: Swedish; Royal Netherlands: Netherlands East Indies Indonesian; Isracl ippine; Dominican; Somali; South Korean; Chinese Nationalist; Chinese Communist, ‘ete,, Air Forces. Polish: Gree ‘Czechoslovakian; Free French; French; R. Norwegian; R. Netherlands; R. Danish; tsa Turkish; Portuguese; Egyp' rmese, ete., Air Forces, No. 5 NORTH AMERICAN P-51B/C MUSTANG IN USAAF SERVICE. Similar content to No. 1 but with brief coverage of the P-51 and A-36. ) KITTYHAWK Mk. I innish Air Forces. The Cur In RAF: RAAF: RNZAF; SAF: RCAF: Netherlands East Indies: iz P-40 Warhawk will be covered in a future issue. SPECIFICATION Example chosen is the Type 361 Spitfire L.F. Mk. IXE, built at Castle Bromwich during 1944-45 and fitted with the TollsRoyce Merlin 66 engine of 1,720 General 10 in./242 sq. ft, or with clipped wing — 32 ft. 7 in./231 sq. ft. Length (Fl Span/wing area: 36 ft aeanfam)se31 f, 3% ine [ater rudder — 31 A, 9 imu; (tail down}: 31 ft, OF in. later ruddor — 31 ft. 43 i BRIS” propeltce vertical (flying position): Ti ft. 32 in.s (tail down): 12 ft. 8 in. Internal fuck: 85 Imp. gal ‘mains, Later produc ferstt, 95 Imp, gal. mains and 75 Imp. gal. in rear tanks (very rarely used, and im malt. ik cut-down. rear fuselage the 66 Imp. gal. tanks were never used duc to stability. problems). Ex- ina ei SG or 45, Imp. gal. “slipper” tanks, or a 50 Imp. gal, "torpedo" tank, Occasional use of 90 Imp. gal. “slipper” tank. Weights Empty: 5,610-5,634 Ib, Loaded (85 gal. fucl, no ammunition or external stores): 7.150 Ib. Normal combat FriG.7°500 Ib. At take-off (45. gal. external tank): 7,600 Ib, Maximum: 8,700 Ib, Maximum overload: 9,500 Ib. Armament. Per Two 20 mm, Hispano Mk. Il cannon with 120 e.p.g. and two 0.5 in, Browning machine guns with 250 ©. THuing 2 combined weight of fire of 8,6 Ib, per second. Many aircrait earried onc 500 Ib, bomb and/o 350 ib. bombs, formance Maximum level speeds: 408 m.p.h. at 25,000 ft., and 312 m.p.h, at sea level. Maximum diving speed: Mach Hee G00 mph at 20,000 Ft). Cruise speed: 250-330 m.p.h. Climbing speed: 160-240 mpih, nit oF imp: 3950. fprm. Time to 30,000 ft: 6.4 mins. Combat radius of action/endurance (with 45g Oca nk), 170-190 miles im 2 hours, Best combat altitude: 15,000-25,000 ft, Normal landing. spec 105 mph, LAS. Stalling speed, landing configuration: 69-82 m.p.h. LAS. Note. Maximum speed of any Metlin-ongined Spitfire was achieved by the P.R. Mk. XI with tho Merlin 70-22 ii Fro Mk Mk Mk Mk. Mk ee eT SOO Tt, The PR. IV and XI also had the greatest operational range, many of their sorties involved ights of 1,000 to 1,300 mis. sat Cover Illustrations. 1a, No, 610 ' County of Choster * Squadron, Battle of Britain, N3289. Ve, No. 81 Squadron, North Africa, 1943. ]K322. * Joy. 1X, No, 132 * City of Bombay ° Squadron, 1944. MH978 Vill, No. 457 Squadron, RAAF, Flown by Sadn.-Ldr. B.D, Watson, OC., Morotai/Labuan, June, 1945. A58-606. 1Xe, Royal Netherlands Air Force.AIRCAM AVIATION SERIES No. 4 ty Mk. Va, flown by Wing Cdr. D. R. S. Bader, Leader Tangmere Wing. July 1941. W3185. SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE MK.1-XVI IN RAF-SAAFRAAFRNZAFRGAF& FOREIGN SERVIC Illustrated by Richard Ward Compiled by Ted Hooton and Richard Ward Text by Ted Hooton ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Grateful thanks are extended to all who assisted with photographs and information making possible the publication of this pictorial survey of the Merlin engined Spitfire. Thanks to all those who assisted whose names are listed below in alphabetical order. L. Bachelor, A. Blake, C. R. Caldwell, T. P.M. Cooper-Slipper, J. Cuny, J. B. Cynk, E.C.A., F.W. Fielding, T.H. Geb, J. F. Golding, Imperial War Museum, Leif B. Hansen, T. Hooton, G. H. Kamphuis, H. Levy, P. R. March, Frank S. Smith, S. Staples, Jacob Stoppel, G. H. Thomas, Zdenek Titz, W. Wright, Flight International, Royal Netherlands Air Force, South African Air Force, Irish Air Corps, Italian Air Force, United States Air Force. Mk. Ve flown by Wing-Cdr. C, R, Caldwell, Leader No. 1 Fighter Wing, Royal Aw: 1942-43, Green/brown uppers, pale blue unders PUBLISHED BY OSPREY PUBLISHING LTD. ian Air Force, Darwin, 234 EDITORIAL OFFICE: First Published 1968 - SUBSCRIPTION & BUSINESS OFFICE: P.O. BOX No. 5, Second Impression 1970 P.O. BOX 25, 707 OXFORD ROAD, CANTERBURY, KENT, ENGLAND. Third Impression 1971 READING, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND. hte Printing Co, Ltd, Reading, England. Not for salen USA, © Osprey Publishing Ltd, SBN 85405 003 9 The Be